The Inner Thoughts of a Dog
by Kuriketto
Summary: Completed story. Bolt x Mittens. After returning home alone, Bolt's life returns back to normal. But he misses Mittens, who didn't return home with him, and embarks on a journey to find her. His friendship with Mittens conflicts with his true inner thoughts and feelings towards her. Is he really okay with just being friends?
1. A Restless Night

Author's Note: The story takes place after Bolt returns home like in the movie, but Mittens never came to join him. I hope you enjoy. I mostly wrote this for myself, but I figured I'd share it with others. Thank you in advance if you do take the time to read through it.

A Restless Night

Bolt turned from side to side, trying to get comfortable in his bed. He was tired, his eyes drooped, but his mind wouldn't let him sleep. He went through his day for tomorrow. He would wake up and spend the day at the studio with Penny to record the season finale of his famous TV show. Ever since he returned home, his life was busy from the moment the sun came up, to the moment it set. Constantly recording scene after scene to make up for lost time after he went missing. The studio had to record and aired a new episode every week to catch up.

He knew his powers weren't real, but he was still a star actor. For as long as he could remember, he always believed his powers were real. He grew up acting, pretending. Now, this super dog character was simply a second identity for him. He heard the studio had tried replacing him with a doppelganger, but had no success with recording to the quality they desired. There really was only one Bolt.

He thought about the rest of his week. The studio was giving him and Penny a break after this last day of recording. The crew kept him and Penny at the studio nearly all day, every day, for the past two weeks to make up for lost time. He enjoyed acting and working with his owner, Penny, but it left him exhausted every day. And yet, he found himself having trouble sleeping at night, despite feeling so tired. As much as he didn't want to admit it, it was becauseof Mittens.

Mittens is a cat who befriended Bolt when he was lost. She led him back home and because of her, she was the one who opened his eyes about the false reality he had been living in. She showed him the true life of a dog, well, the life of a normal dog anyway. They became close friends in the time they spent together while traveling across the country to get Bolt home. It's been a few weeks since Bolt last saw her. They didn't exactly leave off on a good note. After a small dispute, they went their separate ways and Bolt has not seen her since then.

This was the fourth night in a row that she had crossed his mind. He missed her and wondered. Did she think about him at night? If she did, how long did she think about him? Did she miss him too? He wondered how she was doing and what she was up to. See any cute toms? Or even another… _dog_? He couldn't finish the thought and quickly shook it away. He thought about all the new events in his life he could tell her. How he was finishing the first season of his show and some of the fans he met, including a cute shepherd. He thought about what he would say to her first if they met again. He imagined himself hugging her and not letting go, not knowing what to say, despite planning out everything he wanted to ask and tell her.

Another hour passed with him lost in his thoughts. Before he realized it, he had finally crashed and was dreaming about his friend.


	2. The Super Dog and Super Star

The Super Dog and Super Star

The soft patter of rain calmed his mind. Penny kept her window open to let in the cool, brisk air. An occasional thunder would crash every so often. Bolt watched the curtains slowly being lifted by the wind, eventually letting them fall. He breathed in the refreshing cold air and felt the breeze brush softly along his fur. It had been a long time since it rained at night. He wished storms like these would visit more often.

It was a few nights after his last recording in the studio. In fact, the season finale had already aired tonight. Penny and her mother watched it together. Bolt never particularly enjoyed watching himself on TV. It always seemed better when he was acting at the studio. The finale consisted of him saving Penny from the not-so-evil Dr. Calico. He fought against two evil robotic cats the doctor built. Even though he was saving Penny, there was someone else on his mind at the time.

Bolt circled into his bed, even though he wasn't tired. He thought back to the other day at his last recording. He recalled seeing Penny being tied up to a pole in the cave. The two mechanical cats stood between him and her. As part of the script, he ran towards them to simply tackle them out of the way. But the cats were able to match his defying speed and knocked him to the ground. They pinned him down by the back. He tried getting up, but the cats had immense strength that overpowered him. He closed his eyes, to give the impression as if all hope was lost. And then, he heard his name being called, but not by Penny. It was Mittens. Suddenly, he saw the cat tied to the pole and the mechanical cats laughed as they taunted the innocent cat. Deep anger arose in Bolt. He opened his eyes and struggled to lift himself from under the mechanical's force, which was actually as light as Styrofoam.

The director and crew watched the footage being recorded. They all froze as the unsettling camera slowly panned out from a close up of Bolt, growling from under the Robot's paw. They watched in awe, in fear. They were afraid for a moment that he would actually hurt the man inside the machine, but they watched him grab the leg of the machine as planned and threw it into the other robot.

Reviews for the show were already announced within the hour after the showing. Many critics rejected the predictable cliché story, but applauded the charming characters. Others commended on Bolt's outstanding performance throughout the show. "The best since Rin Tin Tin and Lassie". The show resulted in millions of views across the country and plans were already made for a second season. Bolt admired all the attention, but tried to shrug it off and not let it go to his head.

He couldn't help but think, did Mittens see the finale too? He wondered if she found a new home yet or perhaps maybe she caught it on a TV on display in a store. After all, she was the secret to his acting. He knew it sounded really silly and dumb, but he imagined himself saving her. If he had to look sad, he just thought about her being hurt or even… _gone_. As stupid as it sounds, this was his way of keeping her in his life, even if it was just a fantasy. It helped him, he didn't really know why, but it did.

It was then and there when Bolt decided that he would try and find Mittens during his break. No, not try. He had to find her.


	3. The Search Begins

The Search Begins

Bolt entered the train yard, overwhelmed by how many train tracks there were. It wasn't a typical train station like the ones he saw in the big city. There were hardly any humans, only a few who were running the trains and they didn't seem to be the coaches the humans rode. Bolt was discouraged a bit, but he hoped he could still find one that would lead to Mittens.

He was fortunate enough to find the perfect opportunity to embark on his journey. Penny and her mother had left to visit and spend time with some relatives who lived across the country. They couldn't take him along, but Bolt wasn't disappointed. He was grateful for the opportunity he was given. He recalled seeing a train yard that wasn't in the big city during his last journey home that wasn't too far from his own home. He wasn't sure where it could take him, but he figured it would be the best place to start.

So many trains, so many options. He didn't want to risk taking one, only to get lost again, but if he had to, he'd take every one if it meant finding Mittens. As he searched the yard, something suddenly caught his eye, a dog. Perhaps he could help him. He could just be a stray taking shelter here, but he was still hopeful.

He padded up to the dog, his head rested on one of his paws. Bolt was unfamiliar with his breed type, but he had black fur with distinct brown stripes. He didn't even twitch when Bolt approached, as if he was lost in his thoughts.

"Uh, excuse me. Are you familiar with these trains at all?" Bolt asked, a bit nervous on how the dog would react. The dog took a quick glance towards Bolt and returned to his resting position.

"That depends." His voice was deep, not husky though. He wasn't old either. Bolt wondered why he was here.

"Do you know where the trains go? Like to a big city possibly?" He shook his head.

"I don't know where they go, but I do know that train over there," he gave Bolt a soft grin and looked over to a cargo train in the distance, "that train brings many supplies to this area every day. Perhaps it comes from somewhere big. Although, I can't guarantee it will take you to where you want to go."

Bolt viewed the train attached to an endless line of cargo boxes. Then back to the black dog.

"Thank you, kind sir." It was a good enough start for him. "My name is Bolt, what's your name?"

This time, he made eye contact with Bolt and stared at him. Then he finally answered.

"The humans here call me Smoky." It made Bolt curious on why he worded his answer like that. "I hope you find what you're looking for, Bolt."

"Thank you again, Smoky." He nodded and said his farewells and headed for the train Smoky guided him to.

* * *

A sudden bump in the track awoke Bolt as his jaw slammed onto the floor of the train.

"Son of a…" He rubbed his jaw with his paw. It wasn't bruised, but it still hurt like a mother.

It was night out. Bolt padded over to the opening of the cargo train. The moon and stars lit up the night sky and the ground below. He spotted the big dipper and suddenly remembered the first time he saw it. Mittens showed him it.

_"So you're saying that some of these stars make out figures in the sky?" Mittens nodded._

_ "That's right. They're called constellations. See, I can see the big dipper!" She pointed to the sky. Bolt tried looking to where she was pointing, but wasn't quite sure what he was looking for. Mittens saw the confused look on his face and tried to not laugh._

_ "You don't know what I'm talking about, do you?"_

_ "No idea." He smiled and looked at Mittens. She smiled back and suddenly Bolt felt warm in his head. "Uh, so… What does this big dipper look like?" He asked, quickly breaking his stare._

_ "It kind of looks like a pan those humans use to cook stuff with." She attempted to draw the image with her paw in the air. Bolt watched closely and looked at the sky again. After a minute, he recognized the familiar outline Mittens drew._

_ "Do you see it?"_

_ "I do. That's so cool. Are there others?" She nodded._

_ "There are lots of them. There's also the little dipper that looks just like the big dipper, but smaller basically. I can't remember any others." Bolt looked for the little dipper. Then he noticed Mittens quivering._

_ "You okay, Mittens?"_

_ "Yeah, just a little cold."_

_ "Oh, well. You can lie down with me." Bolt lay on his side. Mittens lay in front of him against his warm stomach. She closed her eyes and put her paw over his. He wrapped his arm over Mittens to keep her warm. He heard her purring softly._

* * *

It was the first time he cuddled with her. He suddenly missed the warmth of her body and her tiny paw touching his. He closed his eyes to sleep and pretended she was by his side again, hoping he would dream of her and eventually make it become a reality.


	4. Heart of the City

Heart of the City

Bolt let out a sigh of relief after wandering for a few hours. He finally recognized his surroundings. The train stopped at its destination early in the morning and the humans unloaded the cargo boxes. Bolt slipped out and followed a road, hoping it would lead to a city. He began to lose hope after wandering with no luck, until he reached the junk yard where he and Mittens went their separate ways.

It had only been a month since his last time here, not much has changed except for a few added piles of broken car pieces and other scraps of metal. Bolt assumed it wasn't used often by the humans. He walked carefully through the yard, making sure he didn't step on anything that could cut his paw pads. The last thing he needed was an injured paw. When he reached the other side, he could see the city in a short distance, maybe a few blocks away. It wasn't huge like the one back home, but he noticed what looked to be like a downtown area with some rather tall buildings, and another side where all the homes resided on.

He had no idea where to start looking, the city wasn't huge, but it was big enough where it would take him a few days to search the entire city by walking and even then, what are the chances he'd find Mittens, if she was even here. He needed some help. He passed by a small park and saw some pigeons in the grassy field. He was skeptical about even bothering, as he remembered his past experience with pigeons, but he didn't want to generalize and believe all of them were as spastic as the last ones he encountered.

"Excuse me guys, do you happen to know a black cat by the name of Mittens?"

"A cat, eh? You got some beef with this cat, dog?" There was a flock of them, but only one came up to answer him. He was a black bird with white stripes along his wings.

"No, it's not like that at all. She's my friend."

"Hmm, well, I do know of a black cat. Don't know her name though."

"Really? Could you tell me where you usually see her?" His heart raced, Mittens was here. He just had to find her.

"I see her downtown hanging by Luigi's Pizza Parlour sometimes."

Bolt questioned the bird for a minute. How could he tell he was telling the truth? What if he was just pulling his leg to get some fun from an outsider? Either way, this was his only clue to find Mittens. He tried not to get his hopes up too high.

"Thank you."

"Tsh. No problem, dog. Hope you find her." He went back to his friends. Somehow, Bolt felt better about his doubts now. Perhaps pigeons weren't so bad after all.

* * *

The city was a lot bigger than it looked from the outside. He followed a long road with endless buildings on both sides. Occasionally, there was an intersection that led towards the heart of the city. He asked a few dogs he ran into for directions and they pointed him towards the outskirts of the city. There were a lot of humans. Many were window shopping, some were dining in local cafes, and others were just walking. It was a friendly atmosphere. He could see what appealed to Mittens, assuming she was even here.

He found Luigi's Pizza Parlour, but no Mittens to be found. He saw a family with two young boys enjoying a pepperoni pizza through the window. He then realized he hadn't eaten all day and he heard his stomach growl. He checked the alley beside the restaurant for a dumpster bin. He was about to peer in, until he heard rustling from inside already. Curious, he checked anyway.

It was a black cat, her head buried under the trash searching for food. Could it be?

"Mittens?" He called out.

"Huh?" The cat pulled out and looked frightened when she saw the white dog. "I'm sorry, go right ahead, dog. Please, just don't hurt me."

Bolt frowned, it wasn't her. It was a different cat, but perhaps she could help him?

"No, it's fine really. Uh, would you join me for dinner? I'm new in town and I wouldn't mind some company." He tried sounding friendly. She calmed down realizing he was a visitor.

"Sure," she smiled at him, "I'm afraid there's not much here though. Follow me, I know another place we can check."

She bolted out of the alley and he followed her. They ran a few blocks, weaving in between people and entered another passage way. She climbed up to look into the dumpster. Then she nodded back to him.

"Jackpot!"

He climbed up after her, half eaten hotdogs and thrown out hamburgers were scattered in the dumpster. She jumped in and passed him the food to set outside.

She looked similar to Mittens, except her face was more narrow and she had blue eyes instead of green.

"Sorry, I'm not used to eating with others. I'm not crazy, don't worry." She apologized. Bolt didn't realize how much he was watching her. She was the closest thing to Mittens he had at the moment.

"I didn't mean to make you feel self-conscious. It's just, you remind me of someone, that's all." He admitted.

"Oh, really now?" She asked sarcastically with half her mouth full.

"Yeah, that's actually part of the reason why I asked for your company. I need your help. I'm looking for a black cat, which is why I confused you for someone else earlier." He finished his meal and licked his lips.

"A black cat… Wait, Mittens was her name?" She was about to take another bite, but stopped abruptly after the realization.

"Yes, do you know her?" His tail wagged. He was getting closer and closer to finding her. She gave him a grin.

"In fact I do, I know where she will be tonight too."

This was unbelievable. Everything was working out too perfectly. He thought he was dreaming and he prayed that he wasn't.

"Could you take me to her?" She hesitated for a moment which worried Bolt. There was a catch after all wasn't there?

"Hmm… What if I tell her to meet you somewhere instead? That way you can surprise her." She suggested cheekily. He let out a sigh of relief. He tried thinking of a place where he could meet with her, a quiet place. He remembered the park where he saw the pigeons. That would have to do since he wasn't too familiar with the city yet.

He asked if she knew where the park near the entrance to the downtown area was. She nodded and agreed with him that she would send Mittens there tonight and that "someone wants to meet her". He gave his thanks, for everything. Without her help, it would've taken a lot longer to find Mittens. It was only then, when he realized he didn't even ask for her name.

He waited at the park all evening. His heart felt like it was going to explode. Mittens was coming.


	5. Reunion

Reunion

Bolt paced back and forth while planning out everything he was going to say. He grew more anxious with every minute that passed. He found a puddle of water and checked to make sure his fur wasn't sticking out in a funny way. He even practiced smiling. Teeth, half smile, but everything just looked awkward. He sighed.

"Bolt!" Bolt recognized the voice instantly, a voice he missed dearly. He turned around and there she was.

"Mittens!" He ran towards her and softly tackled her to the ground. They rolled around in the grass, until they got tired and she rested on top of him.

"I can't believe you're here. How are you doing?" Bolt couldn't believe it either. She was really in front of him. It wasn't like his dreams, it was even better.

He first talked about his journey here, about Smoky and the mysterious cat who helped him, in which he learned her name, is Alice, according to Mittens. Then he went on about his trip home and how happy everyone was to see him safe and sound, Penny, especially. The crew even allowed him to go home with Penny. They doubted his ability to act when he returned, but they gave him a chance anyway since they were left with no other options. He rambled about all the work they put him through just so they could catch up, but that he enjoyed it at the same time. It comforted him knowing he could be a normal dog and still be the actor he once was.

"I saw the season finale." She told him.

"How?" He felt a little overwhelmed and a little embarrassed at the same time. It felt a little awkward knowing she saw him acting. She didn't know him as an actor when they first met. Just thought he was a crazy dog.

"There's a store that sells old items that the humans don't want anymore. They have a TV playing on the inside of the window. I was lucky enough to catch it when it aired."

Bolt was too nervous to ask what she thought about it. He hoped she wouldn't bring it up, but he didn't know what to say next.

"You were amazing," she smiled, as if she had read his mind, "You know you're pretty famous now."

_I wouldn't be without your help._ "I'm not sure if I like it." He joked.

"So, what have you been up to?" He asked quickly, changing the topic, before he said something he would regret saying.

"Ahh, not much really. Just doing whatever, not too much that goes on in this city."

_Come back home with me. _"How are the humans?"

"They're really nice, not hard at all getting food here, even for a cat." They laughed, knowing they were both thinking of the time she taught him how to beg with the infamous dog face. She also went on about how she met Alice.

They walked around the outskirts of the park along the lake. The sun had set by now and the moon shined upon the water, making it seem brighter out than usual. The two had gone quiet. Bolt was too preoccupied with his thoughts. He wanted to tell her so much more, but wasn't sure where to start.

"Hey Mittens."

"Yeah Bolt?"

"I missed you. It's really nice to see you again."

"I missed you too" She stopped him. She wrapped her paws over his shoulders and hugged him tightly. He reached under her arms to hug back. He felt warm against her fur. They finally let go after what seemed like forever.

"I think I better head back." She whispered.

"Oh, alright." He smiled to hide his disappointment. They wished each other good night and promised to see each other the following day. Bolt stared out at the lake by himself into the dark horizon. A soft breeze blew from the quiet waves, it was then when he realized he still felt warm under his fur.

* * *

Bolt found a dark and quiet alley that separated two small houses. The alley was narrow and he figured the humans never bothered to check there so he wouldn't disturb them. He made it his temporary home for while he was here. He settled in a soft patch of grass which tickled his fur. He felt pretty sleepy, but he sensed a long, restless night.

The events from tonight replayed in his head over and over. Even the tiniest detail remained so vivid. The innocence in her voice, her glowing green eyes, and even the smallest smirk she gave him. He received many hugs from Penny, but nothing was like this before.

Mittens was a friend. No, more than that. She was his best friend. Someone, who didn't judge him and wasn't afraid to expose him to the truth that hid behind the lie he was living in. He enjoyed her company and wasn't afraid to tell her anything. In return, he was always there for her. It started as friends with benefits, but escalated to much more than that. They knew nearly everything about each other. Everything was going well, before they went their separate ways anyway.

Mittens had stayed at the last big city for it reminded her of home. Bolt ended up continuing his journey home alone. They didn't say much before he left, but that's what bothered him the most. He felt like he had a million things to say to Mittens before he left, but couldn't find the words. This continued to haunt him even when he returned home. Every night, he thought about what he should've said and planned out what he would say in case they were to meet again. And of course when they did finally see each other again, he forgot anyway.

But now, Bolt only felt more confused with his thoughts. He experienced so many different emotions from tonight in such a short time. He recalled feeling overwhelmed with joy and also fear. Fear of losing that particular feeling of contentment. Fear of losing Mittens, again. He then realized he wanted to tell her so much more. How much he thought about her every night, how much she inspired him for acting, how much he enjoyed just listening to her, how much he cared for her.

How much he loved her.

As quickly as the thought crossed his mind, it vanished. He suddenly felt very lonely and wished he could be with her tonight. He felt tempted to search the city until he found her and when he did, he would hug her and never let go. He would tell her everything he held back. Tell her she meant the world to him. To come home with him.

And yet.

He wasn't so sure, despite these strong emotions that overtook him. He felt like he couldn't control himself sometimes. His thoughts didn't stop. Did she think about him the same way? Was she thinking about him right now? Would she really go home with him?

He always looked at Mittens as a best friend and they promised to stay that way, but was he honestly okay with that?

Is this what love is like? When you constantly think about someone to the point where it drives you insane? When you care for that someone so much, you would do anything for them?

Love sucks.


	6. Cold Hearts

Cold Hearts

Bolt's ears twitched when he heard some nearby barking, aggressive barking. He followed it and it led to another alley. The alley was located next to small local restaurant, many garbage bins were lined up against the wall. Bolt hid behind one of the large green dumpster bins and peered into the alley. There were two dogs, a Doberman baring his teeth at a Great Dane. The Great Dane was old, Bolt could tell by his gray muzzle.

"I'm just trying to pass through." Bolt could sense fear in the Great Dane's voice, the Doberman did too.

"Liar! I know you're here to steal my food." He tackled the old dog and pinned him down. Bolt took a step forward about to intervene, but an idea came to him. He quietly climbed the dumpster. "You're going to regret ever coming through my alley."

With his powerful hind legs, Bolt leaped off and collided into the Doberman, freeing the old dog. He quickly recovered and prepared himself mentally for a fight. It was only then when he realized this wasn't acting, this was real. If he wasn't careful, he could get hurt or even worse.

"You know, you should respect your elders." Bolt remarked. The black canine stumbled to get up. He was bigger than Bolt which intimidated him a bit, but he did his best to not show any fear.

"And you should mind your own business." He spat back.

They circled, staring each other down, waiting for the other to make the first move. Bolt wasn't really sure what to do. He did his best to anticipate any kind of attack and kept his body low. Suddenly, the black dog launched forward to bite into his shoulder. He was a lot faster than he expected. Bolt growled and bit into the Doberman's neck in retaliation. They released each other to catch their breath. The black dog attacked quickly again, this time pinning him sideways against the wall and dragging his shoulder across the brick surface. Bolt felt his skin ripping open as it scraped across the wall. He used his powerful legs to kick the dog back which released him. Bolt took the opportunity to catch him off guard and pinned him to the ground by the neck. He kept a firm grip. There was nothing the Doberman could do. Bolt could kill him right then and there by snapping his neck.

"Get lost and never bother this dog again."

Bolt released him, he already won the fight. Killing wasn't his thing and he knew he wouldn't be able to bring himself to do it anyway. The Doberman glared at him, but walked out of the alley, keeping his stare on Bolt the whole time until he was out of sight.

Tired, Bolt lay down and breathed heavily. He never had to fight before. It was one thing when he was acting and the actors purposely lost to him, but it was different when his life was actually on the line.

"Are you all right youngster?" Bolt had forgotten about the Great Dane.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He forgot about his wounds too. As a super dog, he never got hurt. His wounds stung, now that the adrenaline stopped pumping through his body. "Yourself?"

He nodded.

"Thanks to you, Bolt," he smiled, "I see you're not just an actor."

"Ah, it was nothing really." He started to clean his wounds, feeling slightly awkward now. Apparently his fan base exceeded to even older dogs. He gave Bolt an affectionate lick on his forehead and gave his thanks again. He was about to leave, but Bolt called out to him.

"You didn't tell me your name."

"Victor."

Victor, he repeated to himself. "Take care, Victor." Victor nodded back and left.

* * *

When Mittens asked how he got his injuries, he tried lying to her, but she saw right through him. She knew him too well and it was ironic. His acting didn't work against her. Then again, she didn't see him as an actor. After meeting Victor, he realized how awkward it was to meet others who knew him from his show. It was as if that's how he was always viewed as by others, a hero, even off the set. He never got to be Bolt, the normal dog, just like anyone else. Which is one of the reasons why he appreciated Mittens, she treated him like a normal dog and not like someone's favorite actor or idol.

Bolt's wounds weren't deep but they still stung. They weren't the only reason keeping him up at night though. A few days had passed since the first night he spent with Mittens. Since then he had been seeing her every night at the lake and every night felt perfect to him. But tonight, his heart felt like ice.

After his fight from earlier, the realization really hit him that he could've been hurt or even worse. What if he had died? No more chewing on tennis balls, no more acting. No more Mittens. Life was unpredictable. When he met with Mittens tonight, he was going to remind her how much he cared for her. He even built up the courage to tell her he loved her. After he told her about the fight, he hesitated and wanted to wait for a romantic moment.

But then he learned about her crush, a crush that had existed ever since she came to the city. He was a brown tom cat. At least he wasn't another dog, but he was very handsome and very kind apparently. Lately they had been talking and she finally told him that she liked him. Bolt asked her if she was going to ask him on a date, but she felt too shy to ask him yet. He found himself being distracted by his thoughts as she droned on about him.

He couldn't tell her now. She seemed infatuated with him. She was happy. All of a sudden, he wasn't feeling well. He lied to her and said his injuries were bothering him. They said their farewells and he left quickly before she could convince him to stay.

His heart ached. It was a feeling he never experienced before. He felt lonely and depressed. He was reminded that he was only a friend to Mittens. She loved him, but only as a friend, which he thought he was fine with, until she mentioned a love interest with someone else. He hated the idea, the idea of her being with someone else. It hurt, more than his cuts and bruises. Everything he wanted to tell her ran through his mind. How she meant the world to him. How much he loved her. How much it hurt to keep his thoughts to himself because he didn't want her to be confused about their friendship. How much he held himself back for her.

He felt cold. He could barely feel his heart and he thought it would stop beating. She loved someone else, but he still loved her even if they promised to be just friends. He cried until sleep overtook him.


	7. A Broken Promise

A Broken Promise

Bolt ended up meeting with Mittens still the following days. Their friendship began to feel awkward for him though. He felt more confused than ever about his feelings. She even asked him if he was okay and she didn't ask that often. He didn't feel like himself around her anymore, it must have been obvious lately. He lied to her of course and she didn't question it further, but he felt like she knew he was lying anyway. He wasn't okay at all.

He admitted to feeling different around her, but it felt normal to her as if nothing was wrong. That only frustrated him even more. He couldn't tell her what was bothering him or rather he didn't want to. It annoyed him, it frustrated him, and it confused him. After a few days, he avoided Mittens altogether. He needed some space and time.

A week passed without seeing her at all. He felt withdrawals. Every night that passed, he wanted to go to the lake to meet her, but he figured she stopped coming after the first couple nights anyway. He wondered if she cared enough to come find him to talk to him first. He wondered if she thought about him every night like he thought about her still. Somehow, he felt like he didn't need to hear the answer because he already knew.

It hurt him now to see Mittens. Knowing they will be nothing more than friends even though he felt so close to her. He didn't hate her, but he wanted to hate someone so he hated himself. She liked him as a friend, a best friend and that's just how it is. He realized there wasn't anything he could do about it, but that only made him feel even more down.

He wanted to cut it off. Cut off his friendship with Mittens. It caused him too much pain to see her now. She had moved on and he needed to as well. He realized once she got a boyfriend, he wouldn't be able to be her best friend anymore, her best friend who knew everything about her and was always there for her. When he thought about it, it hurt him like a dagger through his heart, but his heart was already broken. The sun was setting. He slowly got up and left his temporary home for the last time. He would miss the tranquility.

* * *

Mittens was nowhere to be seen at the lake. He didn't expect to see her since he was the one to stop coming after all. He looked out at the lake to admire its beauty, but memories of his first night here with Mittens flashed back. He swore he could feel her paws hugging him again. He shook it away and left the park with his head and tail drooping. Right as he turned at the gate of the entrance, he bumped into someone and apologized, until he realized who it was.

"Mittens?"

"Bolt! It's nice to see you. Where have you been?" She went up to him to rub his flank with hers.

"I've been around, just busy."

"I missed you." She glanced at him. "You're so thin, have you been eating?" Bolt hadn't realized his ribs were starting to show. He had forgotten to eat in the past week or just didn't feel hungry due to his divided mind.

"I missed you too," he admitted. "I've been busy. Life of a celebrity." He joked.

"Well, it's not healthy!" She scolded him, but smiled. He grinned back. For a minute, he thought that he could make it all work out. He would tell her he loved her and ask her to go back home with him. They would be together and spend the rest of his life with her every day. He almost changed his mind, he wanted to. Like always, she mesmerized him and gave him false hope on a future that wasn't meant to be, even if it wasn't intentional.

"I'm leaving, Mittens." Her eyes widened.

"What? So soon?" He felt his heart ache, but he tried his hardest to not let it show.

"Yeah, business. Back to the studio." He lied. He turned around, his back towards her. He wanted to run away right then and there. Leave it all behind for good, Mittens, his feelings, his past.

His heart.

But his paws stayed put. He couldn't move them and he felt his legs shaking beneath him as if they were about to give away.

"Are you okay Bolt?"

"Yeah," he replied bitterly. He took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself. She padded beside him, hoping she wouldn't notice him about to break down.

"Well, that'll be good right? Being back on the set, doing what you love?" She seemed sincere. As if she was truly disappointed that he was leaving, but maybe that was just him trying to convince himself. He couldn't tell anymore.

"Yeah," he avoided looking at her "I am looking forward to it."

There was silence after that, awkward silence. Bolt decided it was time to leave, before he changed his mind.

"I have to go." He still wouldn't look at her. He took a few steps, but was stopped when she called out to him.

"Wait, when will I see you again?" This time, she didn't follow him and he was grateful for that. A million answers ran through his head. _Never. Soon. 'I don't know'_ was the only honest answer he could think of, but he couldn't bring himself to answer with that.

"One day." He looked back at his friend one last time. "You take care of yourself, Mittens."

He ran off before he could hear her reply. He ran. Every part of his body told him to stop, that it wasn't too late and he could still get what he wanted. He could go back, tell Mittens everything, and ask her to go home with him. They would live their lives together.

Maybe in a perfect world, but the world wasn't perfect. He wanted to be with her, but there was no turning back now. He didn't want to burden Mittens with any guilt. He didn't want to end it, but he had to. He did it for Mittens.


	8. Closure

Closure

Bolt exited the train as it came to a stop. He felt like he hadn't been here in forever, when it was actually only six months ago since his last visit. It was now a year after his first reunion with Mittens. He briefly paid her a visit about half a year ago to see her for Christmas. She was doing well, still the same old Mittens as always.

A lot of time has passed since his first reunion. He spent the majority of the year on the set, still recording his show which continues to grow in popularity and he loved it every day. It kept him busy, both physically and mentally.

He would be lying if he said he didn't think about Mittens every once in a while. Of course he missed her when she did cross his mind and sometimes, his old feelings would even resurface. He'd think about what could've happen, recall how much she affected him, and how much he cared for her. He tried suppressing his feelings sometimes, other times he'd let them out and remember them so vividly as if it only happened yesterday. He had a promise to keep, and he couldn't break it.

He visited his old temporary home just for old time's sake. It didn't change at all, as if it was a photo. Even the grass was the same length. He even noticed a slight patch that stuck out, the same patch where he slept the year before. He was surprised and then he realized how quiet it was. The sun was beginning to set. He lay in his patch for a while, just to enjoy the tranquility he always admired.

Bolt found himself walking everywhere around the city except for one place. He was afraid, but excited, the same feelings he experienced the first night he spent with Mittens here. He approached the entrance and took in a deep breath. He padded slowly into the park, hoping he would find Mittens here. He didn't walk along the lake this time, he thought he'd try and surprise her this time. He walked towards the center of the park where a small playground resided and then headed to the place where they met in the past.

It was then when he found her, but she wasn't alone. She lay next to another tom. They looked at the horizon together. Bolt couldn't help but watch them while hiding behind a pine. They weren't talking, but he groomed her fur. Bolt closed his eyes to remember his first night here. He felt her paws hugging him again and every feeling he experienced that night returned and overwhelmed him, just like they had the first time. He opened his eyes and smiled, but a tear still rolled down his muzzle. He walked away and let them be.

Mittens no longer needed him, it was clear to him now. She found someone else to take his place. He was glad, but he still felt his heart ache. He had done his duty and fulfilled his promise he made to himself. That he would take care of Mittens until she found someone else. Someone else she truly loved more than just a best friend and someone who would take care of her.

In the past year, Bolt came to a conclusion. True love is everlasting, it never dies. However, it isn't always mutual. When you love someone, you will always love them no matter what happens and even if they don't love you in the same way. In that kind of situation, it definitely sucks, but it's still an amazing feeling, even if it drives you insane sometimes. A typical relationship involves two who both love each other. But there's another kind when one loves someone and the other person doesn't love him or her back in the same way. That kind of relationship is the hardest, but it builds the person to be stronger for when they do find someone who will love them back as much as one loves them.

Bolt hoped he wouldn't find love again. Maybe it's because he wasn't completely over Mittens yet or maybe relationships just weren't his thing. He felt true love before and sometimes those feelings even resurfaced. Just experiencing love was enough for him. He will always remember Mittens and the feelings he had for her, and he will always be there for her if she ever needs him.

Love works in mysterious ways.


	9. Kryptonite

Kryptonite

Bolt lay on his back in the grass. He gazed at the stars and found the big dipper. He wondered if Mittens could see it too. He wondered if she ever thought about him whenever she saw it. He was aware his feelings for her were resurfacing tonight, but he didn't try to suppress them this time. He wanted to enjoy it, to an extent. He couldn't go see her, even if she was alone now. It would feel wrong to him. He still couldn't believe it, he didn't want to. She found someone to love. He wondered if he loved her as much as he did. What it felt like to cuddle next to her every night and to wake up in the morning knowing she's still safe in your arms. Why couldn't it have been him? Why wasn't he good enough for her?

He wished he could get some answers. The reason he stayed tonight was because he was hoping he would change his mind to go talk to her after all. Not that he wouldn't ask her anyway because deep down, he already knew the answers. No matter how many times he asked himself the same questions over and over. He rolled over to stand up, it was time to go home.

* * *

As Bolt cut through the city, he heard a sudden whimpering. He followed it to a dark alley, he kept his guard up and slowly padded into the darkness.

"Hello?" He called out. He was getting closer. Thin moonlight covered by clouds left the alley dim so he could barely see ahead of him. He only walked for a minute until he reached a dead end and found a dog curled up in the corner.

"Are you okay?" Bolt went over to inspect him. The dog faced towards the corner.

"Oh, I'm more than okay." The dog snickered. The alley lit up as the clouds passed by as if on cue. It was the same Doberman who attacked Victor. He looked back only to see his way in was now blocked by guards. He was trapped, like a mouse cornered by cats.

"You tricked me." He growled at the leader. Two of the guards slowly started closing in on him. He bared his teeth. He crouched down and prepared to fight, even if he was outnumbered. They suddenly stopped and simply laughed. Soon, they were all laughing. Bolt raised an eyebrow but didn't let his guard down.

"Hold on." The leader behind him spoke. He smirked and one of the guards at the entrance stepped sideways. Bolt's eyes widened.

"Mittens!"

"She can't hear you." The lifeless cat laid over the Doberman's back.

"Don't worry, she's not dead. But fight back and she will die." Another guard raised his paw and softly ran his claws across her face. Bolt resisted the urge to charge for him. He couldn't risk it, he had no choice.

"Stop," Bolt closed his eyes and relaxed his body. "Don't hurt her. Do what you want with me." He conceded. He yelped and fell slightly as pain shot through every nerve in his hind leg. He glanced back and saw three deep cuts in his leg. Then he glared at the leader.

"You coward."

Bolt felt a sting as sharp teeth gripped into his injured leg. Suddenly, he felt himself being lifted into the air. His body slammed against the brick wall and he fell to the ground on his shoulder. His body felt numb as the air left his body from the impact. He felt severe pain in his shoulder. The leader went right up to his face and glared at him.

"What did you say?" He muttered darkly. Bolt gasped for breath and narrowed his eyes. Then he grinned ever so slightly and softly laughed.

"You heard me." He rasped. Annoyed with his smart remarks, he bit into the shepherd's ear with the force of a Doberman and ripped it off. A screeching howl of pain echoed in the alley. Blood dripped into Bolt's eyes and his vision went red. He felt light-headed as his began to lose consciousness.

* * *

It's strange, Bolt thought. He wasn't in pain anymore. Was he…? No, he realized quickly. He could still feel his heart beating. It was weak, but it was fighting.

"Bolt!"

That voice… Mittens? Memories of the black cat flooded his mind. The warm smile she would always give him. A smile that would always make him smile.

"What are we… the cat?" Another voice went in and out. This time it wasn't Mittens. He heard a faint screaming, it grew louder and louder. He felt his senses slowly returning to him. He soon recognized the screaming, it was Mittens! His eyes shot open but the screaming had stopped. He slowly lifted his head and he saw her tiny body on the ground in front of him. He could barely make out her black and white fur drenched in blood.

_Mittens!_

He tried calling for her but nothing came out. He tried balancing on his left paw and strained himself to stand, but his shattered shoulder caused him great pain. He slowly tried standing on his injured hind leg, trying to ignore the pain. His legs nearly gave out as he struggled to stand.

Suddenly, he felt a strong force slam down onto his back. His body slammed back to the ground, sending even more affliction throughout his body. He looked in the corner of his eyes, the leader pinned him down with one paw on his back.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"You… bastard," Bolt muttered.

The leader went up right into his face and bared his teeth.

"You see, Bolt, I don't want you to die. That would be too easy." He unsheathed his claws. "I want you to suffer." Bolt grunted as he felt sharp claws tear down his spine.

"In more than one way," The Doberman chuckled. "I'll make sure you live. Alone." He released Bolt and laughed louder. "She's dead."

He felt mind slipping away as his thoughts dwindled. It's not true, he kept repeating.

_It's not true…_


	10. Sacrifice

Sacrifice

Bright lights blinded Bolt when he opened his eyes. When his eyes adjusted, he lifted his head slightly and realized he was in a hospital room. Wires attached to his chest and legs connected to multiple monitors. The only noise resonated from one of the monitors in tune with his heartbeat. Thick layers of bandages wrapped around his central body and hind leg. He lifted his sore body up and then it all started coming back to him. He reached for his ear, which was now bandaged, what was left of it anyway.

_My sin..._

"They had to cut off part of it so they could stitch and bandage properly." Bolt turned around and recognized a familiar face.

"Victor? What happened?"

"My owner and I were out on a late walk. I smelled blood and we eventually found you."

"Just me?" He asked abruptly.

Victor shook his head. "A cat too. We took you both to the vet's emergency and they operated on you right away. You've been resting for a few days now."

"And Mittens? Is she okay?" Victor turned ever so slightly. Bolt assumed the worst.

"She's alive, but," The Dane paused while Bolt held his breath, "she hasn't woken up yet. If she doesn't wake up in a few days, they're going to let her go."

Bolt looked down at his ragged paws. He found himself squeezing them, so hard, they shook a little.

"It's not looking good for her, Bolt." His friend whispered as he leaned in closer. He relaxed his paws and looked up to his comrade.

"Do you know where she is?" He asked. Victor nodded. "Please show me?"

Victor hesitated for a minute. He glanced outside the door quickly to make sure no one was around. He nodded to Bolt and shut off the heart monitor before removing the wires. Bolt staggered when he reached the ground. His injuries still felt sore, making it hard to even stand. Victor went over to help him, but the shepherd shook his head.

"It's alright, Victor. I can walk." Victor narrowed his eyes as he watched Bolt tremble on his own legs, but he nodded. He slowly led him down the hall, allowing Bolt to take his time. It was like he was learning to walk for the first time. Finally after passing a few rooms, Victor peaked into one on the right and nodded to him. Victor waited outside while Bolt padded slowly into the room.

* * *

Mittens lay on her side in a small bed where many wires were attached to her body. The heart rate monitor beeped at a slow pace, one much slower than his own. A mask rested on her face to help support her body with oxygen. She was hardly even breathing. Her whole body was nearly covered in bandages. Bolt watched over his friend in vigil, until he saw her paws, her clawless paws, and guilt stabbed Bolt's heart even deeper when he realized the poor cat had no means of defending herself at all when she was attacked.

He felt the need to blame someone. As if somehow it would help him feel better. He blamed the Doberman. That bastard. Until he realized, if he didn't return, maybe Mittens wouldn't be fighting for her life now. They wanted him, not her. They used her. And now she's paying the price with her life. She's going to die because of him.

No. He refused to believe that. She's going to be all right. She won't die.

In the past, recent months, Bolt finally understood. He understood the feelings he felt towards Mittens. He fell in love with her at some point, but when he learned she didn't feel the same way, he tried to win her over still. He thought he could change her mind, hoping she would realize what she had in front of her the whole time. She gave him mixed signals, which gave him false hope. He finally gave up, but then realized, perhaps he mistaken these strong emotions for something else. He determined at some point, he grew protective for Mittens. He didn't want to see her getting hurt from someone else. He wanted to keep her safe. All those restless nights he spent thinking about her, all those times when he pretended to save her, it made sense to him now.

He was content with that. He loved her, he still does. But sometimes he still thinks about what could happen, if it all could still work out. A small part of him hopes Mittens will see how much he still wishes to be with her and to share the rest of his life with. But that isn't fair to her, she deserves to look for that perfect guy, just like anyone else would like to. She may never even find him, but Bolt was willing to accept it in order to give her the chance.

He wanted to tell her all of this, but by the time he finished planning his thoughts, he forgot how he started. He promised himself he would protect her, until she found someone else, but he failed to keep his promise and now she has someone else to watch over her.

* * *

_"Bolt, I don't understand how you always put up with me." Mittens stared down at her paws and half-smiled with disbelief. Bolt padded to her side and wrapped his paw over her right shoulder. He rubbed up and down her shoulder a few times and then pulled her in close to him. Her head rested on his shoulder._

_"I don't understand either, but there has to be some reason, right?" He smiled, but she dared to not look into his hopeful eyes._

_"I feel like I'm the lucky one." She murmured. Her eyes stared off into the distant sunset. Bolt leaned in and groomed her ears._

_ "You can't have happiness without pain," he said finally, "and it's worth the happiness I get with you."_

_She finally looked up to him. Her green eyes glowed. "You're sure?" She asked, still unconvinced. He wrapped his other arm around her and hugged her tightly._

_"I think so."_

* * *

It _was_ his fault. Tears streamed down his face. For he was going to break another promise he couldn't keep. It was the only way, for Mittens and himself.

* * *

Victor sat up when the shepherd entered the hallway with his head and tail down. Bolt didn't look at him and neither of them said anything. He watched him turn away and rest his shoulder on the wall.

_He blames himself. _The old dog took a deep breath.

"It's not your fault." Bolt slowly lifted his head. "You did everything you could."

While still facing away, he lifted his shoulder to sit, but dipped his head again. "I know," he murmured. All the possibilities ran through Bolt's head once again. What if he never came to find Mittens? What if he never saved Victor? What if he talked to Mittens when he came back instead of leaving without seeing her? Anything to have prevented this. Maybe if he was stronger, he could have saved her. But he wasn't and he couldn't bear to see her anymore after failing. Maybe if he wasn't in her life anymore, she would be safe then. She had _him _now anyway to look after her.

"Victor, _when _she wakes up," there was no doubt in his voice, "you have to tell her..." Bolt reached for his collar and gently slipped it off his head. He stared at the golden tag with his name on it and gripped it in his paw. Then he finally turned to face Victor. "You must tell her," he reworded, "that I'm dead."

He reached out his paw. "Please, give this to her."

"Bolt, you don't have to do this." Victor narrowed his eyes. There was much pain and regret in Bolt's eyes.

"I was the reason why she got hurt in the first place." He looked inside her room once more, "I dragged her into this. If I'm not around, she'll be safe."

The Great Dane didn't know what to say. "Besides, she doesn't need me anymore. She has him now and…" Bolt glanced back to his friend. "I trust him."

"What about your show? She will find out eventually." Bolt looked down at his tag once more and to the faded ink on his fur. He actually smiled a little.

"Not if the show's cancelled." Victor raised his brows. "They can't do it without me. I had my prime years of fun. I can give it up." He reached out his paw with his collar once more.

"There's no going back."

Bolt felt his eyes water with tears "I know." He whispered. Victor hesitated, but nodded and took the collar from him. But then another thought crossed his mind.

"Thank you, Victor." He set the collar on the ground.

"What will you do now?" Victor narrowed his eyes.

"Don't worry about me." Bolt scoffed. "I guess this is good bye then. Take care, Victor." Bolt bowed his head and Victor simply nodded. Bolt started down the hall. A small bit of doubt wondered if Victor would actually keep his word, but he trusted his friend. At least, he hoped he could.

"Bolt." As soon as he turned, he was tackled hard into his flank, sending him flying a few feet. He gasped for breath and tried to get up, but he was pushed and held back down. Then he was pinned by the neck.

"Victor?! What are you-" He started gagging when Victor started to bite down into his neck. He panicked, he tried kicking him off his body and rolling, but he was still weak from his wounds. He couldn't do anything.

"What… are you… do-" Victor bit harder. Bolt couldn't breathe or call for help anymore. His senses slowly disappeared one by one. He couldn't feel anything as his body went numb. Then he started feeling light-headed as his vision blurred. All he could hear was his heart beating slowly, as if time itself slowed. Thoughts raced through his head. Why is Victor doing this? Was he really going to die like this? Will he ever see Mittens again? He felt himself about to pass out. He was going to die.

Suddenly, he breathed life again. He coughed and quickly gasped for air. It took him a few minutes to recover, when his breathing returned to normal, his vision cleared. Victor just sat in front of him. Bolt slowly stood up.

"He won't hold back like I did." He kept his gaze with Bolt. "You can't go after him, Bolt."

Bolt scoffed again. "You should've killed me. Then you wouldn't have to lie to Mittens."

"At least wait until your injuries are healed." Bolt sighed.

"Alright, you're right." He turned away and started walking, but stopped to give his farewells to Victor again. _Be careful._ He heard his friend say as Bolt slowly staggered down the hall.


	11. Redemption

Redemption

Bolt searched the black sky, but there were no stars. At least, he couldn't see any. The city lit up the sky, concealing the constellations he wanted to see. Even though it was late, the city was still alive. Nothing crazy like back at home, but families and couples taking a night stroll through the calm city. He wished his own home city was relaxed like this. Bolt grew to like this city more and more with every visit. It had sort of become his vacation spot whenever he was given one, but it was mostly to visit Mittens…

Depressed thoughts entered his head, but he tried to brush them off. He had to focus. He scanned the area below as he waited on the roof of a small restaurant building. He knew _he_ would be coming soon. A few nights had passed since he left the hospital and he had been keeping note of the Doberman's routine and plans. He was meeting with his guards in a nearby alley. Bolt hoped he would find an opportunity tonight.

His injured leg still felt stiff, but his strength had returned. The plan was simple. Wait for the right moment, pin him down, and tear his neck open. He didn't want to put too much thought into it, otherwise he felt like he would change his mind. And he didn't want to.

He spotted the Doberman at the far end of the building next to him. He casually looked around before entering the alley. Bolt jumped to the lower roof of the building and strained his one ear to listen. Nothing important was said. He glanced over the side of the roof and noticed the alley had two openings, one that led to the main street of the city and a back entrance which led to another alley behind the buildings. It was a narrow divide between more buildings behind the one he was on.

They stopped talking and the guard dogs headed for the entrance to the city. The lone leader took the back alley. Bolt felt his blood pump faster. The time would come soon and he needed to be calm and ready. He watched and let him walk for a bit in case the guards decided to stick around. He spotted a junction of four paths where the leader was headed. He went ahead and found his way to the ground and planned his attack while hiding around the corner.

It was quiet. The alley was dark, but not enough to completely conceal him, especially with his white fur. He would need to rely on the element of surprise. He heard the paw steps getting closer, along with his loud heart beating. He held his breath.

Bolt tackled hard into his flank with his shoulder. He felt minor pain reciprocate to his shoulder, but he ignored it. He bit into the canine's hind leg and threw him against the wall, much like how he was thrown himself the last time, except the tables were turned this time. The Doberman wheezed as he tried to catch his breath, but Bolt gripped into his neck and pinned him down.

"So, you're alive after all. I'm honestly surprised. I thought we may have overdone it with you." He taunted. Bolt glared into his eyes and growled. He slowly bit harder until he felt his teeth penetrate his skin. Blood leaked into this mouth and the taste of it almost made him sick. The Doberman gagged, until Bolt loosened his grip to allow himself to breathe. He kept his teeth on the dog's bloody neck though.

"Go ahead, kill me. It won't bring your friend back." He snickered. Bolt growled again.

"Shut up!" He snapped. "She's alive. She's not dead."

"So you're just a murderer now?!" Bolt bit harder again and more blood spewed out. His own muzzle now drenched in blood.

_Do it._

He hesitated.

_What are you waiting for? He deserves to die._

He bit harder.

_"Are you a murderer now?"_

The question hit him hard this time. What happened to him? Why was he acting like this? He felt as though time itself froze upon realization to let him think. If he killed him, it wouldn't make him any better. He tried to find cause of his sudden dark thoughts. When did he lose sight of himself and his judgment?

He released him.

"I'm not a murderer. I don't need to kill you." He muttered and padded away.

He felt sudden pain in his hind leg and he was lifted into the air. But as soon as he was off the ground, his body was slammed back down. Air escaped his lungs and before he got a chance to breathe, the Doberman bit into his neck. The leader laughed.

"You're so weak, Bolt. You know, I was going to let you live, but now you've pissed me off." Bolt began to feel light-headed. Victor was right. "You may not be able to live with yourself if you kill," the Doberman snickered, "but I can."

_Mittens..._

* * *

_"Bolt." _A voice called for him. It was faint and he wondered how he could hear it. Was he not dead? A part of him hoped he was because he didn't have much left. And he wouldn't have to feel bad for lying to Mittens anymore.

Maybe that's why he found the Doberman. He tried blaming the Doberman for hurting Mittens even though he knew it was his own fault. He told himself he wanted revenge, when maybe he just wanted a death wish. He wasn't sure, nor did he trust himself anymore with his rash thoughts lately.

"_Bolt, wake up." _The voice grew louder. Guess he wasn't dead after all. How disappointing. He felt strength return to his body. He felt himself breathing and felt someone rub his body. Eventually, he opened his eyes, though he wished he didn't have to. A blurry face slowly sharpened into a familiar one.

"Victor," he murmured, "what happened?" He looked behind his friend and saw the motionless Doberman lying in a pool of blood. His neck was ripped open and his eyes frozen in terror.

"I did it for you." He replied in a dark tone. The Dane grunted and staggered to the ground on his side. Bolt rushed to examine his friend.

"You're hurt." Blood dripped from open wounds, ripped open by teeth, on his flank. Bolt pressed his paws against the wound to slow the bleeding, but his friend had already lost a lot.

_This isn't good, at this rate he'll…_

"Bolt…" he lifted his head slightly and whispered, "it's okay." The white shepherd turned to look at his friend in dismay.

"We need to get you to the hospital." Ignoring what his friend said. His friend shook his head and rested it back on the ground.

"My owner doesn't know I'm gone, he's probably sleeping. There's no time." Bolt grinded his teeth and growled.

"Then I'll carry you." He tried crawling under the big Dane, but Victor bit into his scruff and tossed him aside. Bolt crashed into garbage cans and struggled to recover himself. He was more tired than he realized.

"I'm an old dog, Bolt. I lived a long and happy life." He smiled softly, but then he coughed violently. Bolt rushed over to him again. He sat with one leg down to let his friend rest his head. He held his friend's head still by resting his paw on his forehead.

"Victor…"

"I told her, Bolt…" The old dog wheezed. "I told her… what you wanted me to. She was heartbroken and she wouldn't believe it."

Victor reached for Bolt's muzzle. "You _can't_ give her up, Bolt." He smiled again and then scoffed. "Don't worry about me." The paw that rested Bolt's muzzle fell and went limp. His breathing stopped. He was gone. Bolt sobbed and rubbed his blood covered paw across his old dog's forehead. He shut his eyes tightly.

_You saved me…_

He stood up triumphantly and took in a deep breath.

_I will repay you._

He crawled under his friend until he could lift him on his back. He was tired, hurt from his injuries, and his legs trembled. He took a few steps and his paws ached with each one, but his spirit felt stronger than ever.


	12. Alpha and Omega

Alpha and Omega

Bolt sat in vigil in front of Victor's grave. He had dug one for his friend in the same park where he met with Mittens. He had not known the old dog for long, but without him, he and Mittens may not even be alive right now. He thanked his friend again before leaving.

Bolt padded to the lake to wash his fur, but then saw his reflection in the water. His muzzle still stained with blood.

"_So you're just a murderer now?"_

He cringed at himself and destroyed the reflection by splashing his paws into the water to wash off the blood.

_I'm not a murderer. _He repeated to himself. The blood washed off, but he still saw the blood stains on his face and paws as if they were burned into his memory. He lied on the shore and shut his eyes and began to sob. He felt angry, confused, disappointed as dark thoughts entered his head. He wanted to die, but then Victor's death would be in vain.

_I should be the one dead, not Victor._ Why does he always cause pain and suffering to his friends? Victor didn't deserve to die.

_"You can't give her up, Bolt."_

His friend's last words echoed and then his thoughts shifted. Mittens _is _alive. He wondered if she was thinking about him now. Is she grieving for him? Does she really believe he's dead? He wondered if she regrets anything. He imagined her looking at his collar and crying, wishing he was with her right now to comfort her. He wondered if he was right.

Or is she with her boyfriend now, crying in his arms as he comforts her. The thought struck his heart. Isn't that what he wanted? No, of course that's not what _he _wants, but it's what Mittens wants. How would she react if she found out he was alive? Would she be with him? Would she apologize for everything? He wanted to believe it, but he couldn't find out. He made his choice already and there was no turning back.

He stood up and left for the city. He was going to take the walk through the city he promised himself.

* * *

By now, all the stores were closed and the streets were empty. It was quiet, almost eerie, but it let Bolt hear his thoughts, although suicidal thoughts controlled him. He felt as though he didn't have anything to live for anymore and he thought it would be best if he could no longer cause anyone more suffering. He blamed himself, even if it wasn't all his fault. This would be his last walk and the last time to enjoy the serenity of peacefulness.

He thought of ways he could do it. Something fast and painless, but he didn't have a gun. Now he was wishing he could've just had his neck snapped by the Doberman. He struggled to think of other ways.

He let his paws eventually lead him out of the city on a highway. He followed the road and then he saw it, a bridge in the distance. He continued towards it. As he got closer, he noticed he took shorter steps. When he was on the bridge, he looked over the side. A strong river current ran at the bottom, which was a two story drop.

When he looked ahead, he saw another figure in the distance. It looked like a cat. He went closer, and noticed bandaging on the cat. It couldn't have been anyone else. Headlights appeared around the corner to cross the bridge from the opposite side of him.

The car suddenly lost control and swerved back and forth. It veered onto the sidewalk. It was going to crash into Mittens. Bolt shouted out to her, but she was frozen, staring at the car. And then, she jumped off. The car narrowly missed and spun to a stop.

Bolt raced to where she was and jumped after her. His body stung as he hit the water. He struggled to balance himself in the water, he underestimated the current. He swam as fast as his body would allow him.

"Mittens!" No reply. He could barely hear himself over the rushing of the current.

He panicked as he spotted rocks ahead of him. He flung his body to swim around but the current wouldn't allow him. His body crashed into it, knocking out what little air he had in his body, but he kept swimming.

"Mittens!" He was barely able to call out again. He started to lose hope, until something caught his eye. A small golden trinket floated on top of the river. It was his collar. He knew he was getting closer. He swam even faster.

_Hang on, Mittens!_

He spotted her. She floated on her back with her head out of the water. He caught up to her and wrapped his arm around her. He kicked his legs, but it wasn't enough to move him towards the shore. He would need all his legs. He bit into her scruff and kicked harder with all four of his powerful legs. The shore got closer and closer. He finally reached for the grass, but his paws slipped and he fell back into the river. He tried again and he held on, but he wouldn't be able to for long. His strength was depleting. He tried lifting Mittens up to at least save her, but his strength gave out and they were dragged by the current.

_Is it really going to end like this?_

But fate saved him. He felt himself crash into another rock along the shore. He used it to push his legs against it to lift himself and Mittens out of the water. He crawled away from the river and set his friend down. He felt light-headed and vomited some water. Then he caught his breath and checked his friend.

"Mittens!" He shook her to wake her but she didn't respond. He turned her on her stomach and rubbed her back upwards with his paws.

"Don't give up on me Mittens. Don't you dare die on me." He kept rubbing.

A few minutes passed with no changes. His eyes watered with tears, but his paws kept rubbing.

"Come on Mittens." He murmured. "Please wake up."

Another minute passed and he stopped. Tears fell on his paws that rested on her back. He shut his eyes and sobbed.

"I'm sorry, Mittens. I should have never left you. I should have never pretended I was dead. Then none of this would've happened." He tried rubbing a few more times hoping it would work, but she still lay motionless.

He stopped. "It's all my fault." He muttered.

But then he heard soft groaning. His eyes shot open. Mittens coughed out a ton of water and breathed once again. He sat beside her and rested her head on one of his legs. She slowly opened her eyes.

"Mittens?"

"Bolt…" she murmured "I knew you were alive."

All he could do was smile. And cry. He slowly lifted her up to hug her. She hugged back.

"I'm never letting go of you. I'll never leave you out of my sight again." He whispered.

She licked his ear. "I'm never letting go either."

They looked into each other's eyes. Her eyes were so beautiful. Then he remembered. How much she meant to him. How much he cared for her. How much he wanted to spend his life with her. How he thought about her every night. How much she drove him insane. How he held back his feelings so she would think he was over her. How much it hurt him to see her with someone else. How he looked for the big dipper every night because it reminded him of her. How much she inspired him to be such a great actor.

How much he loved her.

Only this time, he told her all of it.

"Mittens, I love you."

"I love you too, Bolt. I'm sorry, for…" But he interrupted and kissed her. Their first kiss. Which felt like a lifetime.

"Don't be." He whispered and kissed her again. "That's all in the past now. All that matters is I'm with you now."

They soon stopped and smiled to each other. "Take me home?" The cat asked. The white shepherd nodded and the two began their long journey home. To spend their lives together.


	13. Final Notes From Author

I can't believe it's finally finished.

First off, many thanks to everyone who took the time to read my story. This story is very special to me. As some of you may know, this story originally ended on Chapter 8, but with a change of heart and with some encouragement from some fans, I decided to write a second half to the story, which came out a lot better than I thought it would and is a much better ending (I'm sure most of you would agree) for these two lovely characters. I'm honestly glad I decided to keep going with it.

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Thank you again.

Best regards,

Kuriketto


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